{
  "id": "2026-03-10-portland-community-college-threat",
  "slug": "portland-community-college-threat-2026-03-10",
  "institution": {
    "name": "Portland Community College",
    "shortName": "PCC",
    "state": "OR",
    "type": "community-college",
    "alertSystemName": "PCC Alert",
    "enrollment": 25000
  },
  "incident": {
    "date": "2026-03-10",
    "type": "threat-of-violence",
    "cleryCategory": "timely-warning",
    "headline": "Trespassed man threatens to shoot a cafeteria worker; later cited on a firearm charge",
    "headlinePublic": "Trespassed man threatens to shoot a cafeteria worker; later cited on a firearm charge",
    "summary": "[Portland Community College](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portland_Community_College) issued a [safety alert](https://www.pcc.edu/public-safety/2026/03/17/cascade-campus-3-10-2026/) after a previously trespassed individual refused to leave the Cascade Campus cafeteria and threatened to shoot a student cafeteria staff member. The suspect claimed to have a firearm but later denied it. Portland Police responded, searched the man, and found a gun with no ammunition. The suspect was re-issued a trespass notice and told to leave within 10 minutes. He remained on or near campus until approximately 7:00 p.m. PDT on March 10, 2026, four hours after the initial report. He was [later cited for unlawful possession of a firearm](https://www.kptv.com/2026/03/11/pcc-issues-safety-alert-after-student-threatened-cascade-campus/).",
    "outcome": "Portland Police Bureau's Behavioral Health Unit Response Team located the suspect days later and cited him for unlawful possession of a firearm. The gun found during the initial search had no ammunition. PCC re-issued a trespass notice. No injuries occurred.",
    "resolution": "confirmed-threat"
  },
  "alerts": [
    {
      "sequence": 1,
      "type": "initial",
      "timestampApprox": "Issued after the subject left campus at approximately 7:00 p.m. PDT on March 10, 2026; posted to PCC's Public Safety timely-warning page",
      "channel": "email",
      "verbatimText": "SAFETY ALERT - Cascade Campus\n\nThis Safety Alert is notification of a Disorderly Conduct involving an individual threatening a student.\n\nREPORTED OFFENSE: Disorderly Conduct - Individual threatened another person.\n\nWHEN: March 10, 2026 - Initial call received at approximately 3:00pm\n\nWHERE: Portland Community College - Cascade Campus Student Union Cafeteria, 5575 N Albina Avenue, Portland, OR 97217\n\nDESCRIPTION OF INCIDENT: Public Safety received a report of a previously trespassed individual refusing to leave the PCC Cascade campus cafeteria and behaving combatively. The suspect reportedly threatened to shoot a cafeteria staff member and claimed to be carrying a firearm, though he later denied it.\n\nThe subject left at approximately 7pm. It is believed to present a potential ongoing safety concern to the PCC community.\n\nFor non-emergency questions regarding this Timely Warning, contact Clery@pcc.edu.",
      "isVerbatimConfirmed": true,
      "sourceUrl": "https://www.pcc.edu/public-safety/2026/03/17/cascade-campus-3-10-2026/",
      "sourceDescription": "PCC Public Safety Timely Warnings",
      "annotations": [
        "Published on PCC's official Public Safety timely warning page, confirming this is the exact text of the safety alert",
        "PCC categorized the reported offense as 'Disorderly Conduct' even though the alert text describes a verbal threat to shoot a staff member",
        "The alert was not issued until after the subject left at 7 p.m., meaning the campus community was not warned in real time during the four hours the suspect remained on campus",
        "Provides a Clery compliance email address (Clery@pcc.edu) for follow-up, indicating this was filed as a formal Clery timely warning",
        "PCC Cascade Campus is located at 5575 N Albina Avenue in North Portland"
      ],
      "characterCount": 913
    }
  ],
  "context": "[Portland Community College](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portland_Community_College) is Oregon's largest post-secondary institution, serving approximately 25,000 students across four campuses and multiple centers in the Portland metropolitan area. The [Cascade Campus](https://www.pcc.edu/locations/cascade/) in North Portland is one of PCC's busiest locations. This incident highlights several challenges specific to open-access community colleges. First, the suspect was previously trespassed but returned anyway, illustrating the difficulty of enforcing trespass orders at campuses that are designed to be open and welcoming to the community. Second, Portland Police searched the man and [found a firearm (without ammunition) but did not confiscate it or arrest him on scene](https://www.kptv.com/2026/03/11/pcc-issues-safety-alert-after-student-threatened-cascade-campus/). Instead, he was re-issued a trespass notice and told to leave within 10 minutes. It was not until days later that a Behavioral Health Unit Response Team located the man and cited him for unlawful possession of a firearm. Third, the [safety alert was not published until after the suspect had left campus](https://www.pcc.edu/public-safety/2026/03/17/cascade-campus-3-10-2026/) at approximately 7 p.m., meaning the campus community received no real-time notification during the four hours the individual remained on or near campus after threatening to shoot someone. The incident occurred during a period of significant labor unrest at PCC, with faculty and staff beginning a strike the following day, March 11, 2026.",
  "keyFindings": [
    "The suspect was previously trespassed from PCC but returned, demonstrating the limited enforceability of trespass orders at open-access community college campuses",
    "Portland Police found a firearm on the suspect but did not confiscate it or make an arrest on scene; the suspect was cited days later by a Behavioral Health Unit",
    "The safety alert was not issued until after the suspect left campus at approximately 7 p.m., meaning the community had no real-time warning during the four hours the threat was active",
    "The incident was classified as 'Disorderly Conduct' in the alert even though the described conduct included a verbal threat to shoot a staff member"
  ],
  "sources": [
    {
      "title": "Cascade Campus 3/10/2026 - Public Safety at PCC",
      "url": "https://www.pcc.edu/public-safety/2026/03/17/cascade-campus-3-10-2026/",
      "type": "official-archive"
    },
    {
      "title": "Man charged after threatening to shoot student at PCC Cascade Campus, PPB says - KPTV",
      "url": "https://www.kptv.com/2026/03/11/pcc-issues-safety-alert-after-student-threatened-cascade-campus/",
      "type": "local-media"
    },
    {
      "title": "Safety alerts and timely warnings - PCC Public Safety",
      "url": "https://www.pcc.edu/public-safety/safety-alerts-and-timely-warnings/",
      "type": "official-archive"
    }
  ],
  "confidence": "high",
  "tags": [
    "threat-of-violence",
    "timely-warning",
    "community-college",
    "open-access-campus",
    "trespass",
    "firearm",
    "delayed-notification",
    "west-coast",
    "oregon",
    "behavioral-health"
  ],
  "dateAdded": "2026-04-04",
  "lastUpdated": "2026-07-16",
  "addedBy": "ingestion"
}